Fastener for shoes.



M. B. JACKSON.

FASTENBR FOR SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1908.

913,012. Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

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PATENT OFFICE.

MARY E. JACKSON, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

FASTENER FOR SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 19, 1908.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 433,690.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY E. JACKSON, citizen of the United States,residing at Wilmington, in the county of Newcastle and State ofDelaware, have invented certain I new and useful Improvements inFasteners for Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved article of foot wearembodying a novel construction whereby the same may be easily andquickly placed in position upon the foot or removed therefrom and whichhas the further advantage of possessing a neat and attractiveappearance.

More particularly, the invention contemplates a novel arrangement ofelastics for holding the flaps at the front of the shoe firmly andyielclingly across the instep when the shoe is being worn, the elasticmembers being mounted in a peculiar manner so that they are effectivelyshielded from deteriorating influences and will last as long as the restof the shoe.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof andalso to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the meansfor effecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a shoe provided with fastening meansembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view throughthe same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. 1Fig. 4is a similar view on the line l'l of Corresponding and like parts arereferred to in the following description and indicated in all the viewsof the drawings by the same reference characters.

For the purpose of illustration the invention is shown as employed inconnection with a low shoe embodying a sole 1 and an upper 2, the saidupper being formed at its forward portion with the flaps 3 which arespread apart when the shoe is being placed in position upon the foot orremoved therefrom, but which are held firmly and smoothly across theinstep when the shoe is in use. The space between the flaps 3 isdesigned to be bridged by means of a tongue 4 which is of the usualconstruction. A lining 5 which may be of kid or other suitable materialis applied to the upper 2, and this lining is provided adjacent the edgeof each of the i flaps 3 with a pair of openings (3. Extending acrossthe space between these flaps 3 are the elastic bands 7 which passthrough the corresponding openings 6 upon opposite sides of the shoe.After passing through 1 these openings the ends of the elastic bands 7extend downwardly and rearwardly between the upper 2 and the lining 5and have their extremities secured to strips 8 at the lower portion ofthe shoe. Two of these strips are preferably disposed upon each side ofthe shoe and are arranged between the lining 5 and the outer covering ofthe shoe, and are secured in position when the upper of the shoe isstitched to the sole. It will thus be obvious that these elastic bands 7have a loose connection with the flaps 3 and normally tend to draw thesaid flaps together. However, by stretching the elastic bands the flapscan be readily spread apart when placing the shoe in position upon thefoot or relnoving it therefrom. Attention may also be directed to thefact that these bands also extend around the instep of the foot and holdthe shoe securely in position upon the foot. A strap 9 is employed forconnecting the upper portions of the flaps 3 and the said strap when inposition extends across the uppermost elastic band T'so as to shield thesame from view. In the present instance this strap 9 is composed of twothicknesses of elastic and one end of the strap is permanently securedto one of the flaps 3 while the opposite end is provided with a loop 10designed to detachably engage a hook 10 upon the opposite flap 3.Arranged below this uppermost strap 9 is a pair of straps 11 which arealso shown as formed of two thicknesses of elastic and which connect theflaps 3, the upper strap 11 extending across the lowermost elastic band7 so as to shield the same from view. For the purpose of attaching thestraps l1 and the strap 9 to the shoe the flaps 3 are shown as formedwith the elongated openings 12 which if desired may be fitted with metaleyelets in the usual manner. The two straps 11 and the strap 9 are eachprovided with a covering 18 which may be either of a plain or ornamentalcharacter as desired and which serves to cover the elastic and protectthe same from the deteriorating influence of the atmosphere.

lVhen the shoe is applied to the foot the tongue 4 and lining 5 protectthe elastic bands 7 from the perspiration of the foot and the straps 11and 9 protect the said bands from the action of the atmosphere. It willalso be apparent that the elastic nature of these bands and straps willserve to hold the flaps 3 securely and firmly across the instep of thefoot. lVhen it is desired to remove the shoe from the foot the uppermoststrap 9 is disengaged from the hook 10 and the flaps 3 spread apartagainst the action of the elastic members. From the foregoingdescription it will be clearly apparent that the arrangement of theelastic members is such as to permit of the shoe being quickly andeasily removed from the foot and is also such as to protect the elasticmembers from those deteriorating influences which would normally renderthem extremely short'lived.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination of a shoe in which the upper is formed with frontflaps, an elastic band loosely connected to the front flaps and havingits opposite extremities secured to the lower portion of the shoe, and astrap con-- neeting the flaps.

2. The combination of a shoe in which the upper is formed with fronttlaps, an elastic band loosely connected to the front flaps and havingits opposite extremities secured to the lower portion of the shoe, and astrap detachably connecting the flaps.

3. ihe combination of a shoe in which the upper is formed with frontflaps, an elastic band loosely connected to the front flaps and havingits opposite extremities secured to the lower portion of the shoe, anelastic strap connecting the flaps, and a covering for the elasticstrap.

4. The combination of a shoe in which the upper is formed with frontflaps and is provided with a lining, and an elastic band 5. Thecombination of a shoe in which the.

upper is formed with front flaps and 'is provided with a lining, stripsarranged between the lining and the outer covering at the lower portionof the shoe, and an elastic band loosely connecting the flaps, the endsof the band passing between the lining and the outer covering of theshoe and being secured to the before mentioned strips 6. The combinationof a shoe in which the upper is formed with front flaps and is providedwith a lining, an elastic band loosely connecting the flaps, the ends ofthe elastic band extending between the lining and the outer covering ofthe upperand having their extremities secured to the lower portlon ofthe shoe, a strap detachably connecting the flaps, and an elastic strappermanently connecting the flaps.

7. The combination of a shoe in which the upper is formed with frontflaps and is provided with a lining, an elastic band loosely connectingthe flaps, the ends of the band extending between the lining and theouter covering of the upper and having'th'eir extremities secured to thelower portion of the shoe, an elastic strap detachably connecting theflaps, a second elastic strap permanently connecting the flaps, andcoverings for the said elastic straps.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

lilARY E. JACKSON. [n.s] Witnesses: v

F RANK H. Mason, LILLIAN J. PYLn.

